Apparatus for use in the manufacture of rayon



P. P. KRIEK APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAYON Filed Jan. 16, 1940 w w n 1 iiiiiiiilml H ra Z w w Patented May a UNlT E 1ST P N FF ICEV I a ilments roa 32: The mo- H i I Q r r UB O ION Peter P. Krieh Enka, N. 0., assignor to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. 0.,- ii corporation of i (Delaware I Application January 1c, 1946, Serial, No. 314,153.

L zclsims'.'-(c1.1a-s) This invention :relates. to the manufacture of remove, salt deposits,- and 'it-is not my intention rayon by the centrifugal pot spinning process, to broadly claim this feature; However, the i "and more particularly to an apparatus for 'pre-" ,pi'o esses previously in use have involved the venting or inhibiting the accumulation of salt manual control of the spraying-mechanism, and

deposits upon the walls of the spinning pot chamfor this reason they have been expensive from the her and upon the spinning pot itself. ndditionpoint'of view of operating supervision and waterally, the invention contemplates a mechanism usage. These disadvantages are especially apfor automatically removing at regular intervals, anyaccumulation of salt-which becomes deposited on the walls of the potor pot chamber between the periods 'of removal.

In the manufacture of'rayon' by the pot spinning process; for example, viscose rayon, wherein chemicals are employed, to coagulatethe spinning solution, certain. saltstend' to crystallize:

upon t-he outside of the rotating pot and upon the walls of the chamber in which the pot is enclosed; Such salt deposits constitute a serious threat to the eflicient operation of the machine; since the added weight of the salt constitutes an .20 additional burden imposed upon the spinning pot supporting and driving mechanism. Furthermore, it has been found that in themanufacture ofviscose rayon, by accretion the salt deposits may eventually close the gap between the spine ning pot chamber and the pot itself and therefore interfere with the' revolution of the pot. In

fact, frequent stoppage of the spinning machines has been necessary in the past to remove the salt penditure of' labor.

/ The present invention is designed to overcomepot chamber-with moisture in order to inhibit the crystallization of salts uponthe wallscthere-l of, as well as to remove such deposits 'as have already formed.

p In the preferredform of my invention, the sp'rayingnf the pots is effected at regular inter- 1 deposits, with the consequent loss of time and exparent when it is considered that in a rayon manufacturing plant a large number of pot spinnin'g. machines are operated. simultaneously. Thus, if it were desired to-eliminate the element of supervision and spray the pots .on each of a plurality of machines continuously throughout a spinning period, an enormouslamount of water would be required, a large percentage of which would be wasted. On the other hand, if it were desired to spray the pots only 'atintervals, in-

order to economize on water, constant supervisionof the fluid supply control would be required to see that the propera mount of water or other liquid is supplied to each spinning machine at the'proper time. If the-intervals are too long the humidity in the pot chamber declines to such an ,extent that the exposedsurfaces of the equipmerit become dry and salts crystallizing there n gain ailrm foothold which requires a great eal of water to effect their removal.

Theoretically, it is ible for one or more operators to manually control the water supply to thespray nozzles in such a manner that no water will be wasted and that thus'the proper degree of humidity will be maintained in the pot cham bers.- However, in practice the human element is found to bevariable, and manual control,

5; therefore, unsatisfactory'from the point of view 'vals'rather than continuously, and in this con-'- nection it is well to note that continuous sprayingof the pots throughout a spinning period is not necessaryto maintain a degree'of humidity sufiicient'for the avoidance or removal of salt deposits. In fact, the continuous spraying of a salt I dissolving liquid entails the wasting of large quantities thereof.

It has previously been proposed to spray heretofore encountered, emciently an'd economiof efiiciency and economy. This will be readily understood when it is considered that should the operator allow the spray nozzles one. spinning machine to flow longer than is necessary for removal of salt deposits, water willbe wasted while if larger saladeposits than usual are allowed to accumulate before the nozzles are turned on,

an excessive amount" of water will be required 'to' remove the deposits.

The present invention solves. the problems cally, for among other reasons it eliminates the human element in pot spray control and reduces the water consumption of the spinning machines to the minimum required to keep the centrifugal pots free of salt deposits. Therefore,- one ofthe objects of this invention is the provision of means for maintaining a high degree of humidity in the centrifugal pots during a spinning operation to' spinning pot chamber with a minimum amount of 'eredin connection with pot spinning machine showing spraying of the pots; and

of means forautomatically controlling the delivery of water to the spray nozzles of pot machines.

Otherobjects and advantages will appear from spinnin the"'fo1lowing detailed description'when considthe accompanying drawing, wherein Fig; 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a theessential elements' of the invention;

Chain 34 derives its power from a sprocket wheel 3!, which is keyed to spinning pump drive shaft 36. However, it is to be understood that-the spinning machine is set in operation in the usual Fig. 2 is a detailed view in partial section of a valve and cam arrangement which controls the Fig. 3 isa. side elevation ofl'thecontrol means nated throughout the pot chamber by the cenillustrated in Fig. 2, together with the driving mechanism therefor.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, the numerals.

3- designate a series of spinning pots, each of which is enclosed within a chamber 4. The chambers are separated from each other bypartions 5 and they are provided in their upper walls with central apertures 6, each ofv which has freely-received therein for vertical moveinent, a funnel guide I. Through the intermediary of the funnel guides I, freshly-spun thread is led into the rotating centrifugal pots 3, rotated by spindles 8 from a source of power (not shown).

Salt crystals derived 'from chemicals used in mannerand the yarns are directed through the respective funnels I and collected in the pots. Water is forced through. pipe i4 and intermittently through valve It to the spray nozzles l3 projecting into pot chambers 4. The water is projected in a small stream from each of the nozzles l0 intermittently against the walls of the rapidly revolving pots 3 and it is dissemi trifugal force of the pot. Intermittent operation of the valve I6 is effectedby means of the cam 30, 'driven from the spinning pump shaft '36 which also controls the quantity'of material .extruded for the formation of the yarns. Cam

3!! bears against the roller$23 mounted in the cam follower 28, periodically lowering thev valve The frequency with which the valve is opened and the duration of water discharge from the Jetsis dependent, of course, upon the shape of the cam and .upon'the speed of rotation thereof,

the spinning process tend to collect upon' the; outside walls of the pots 3 and the walls of the .zles are adapted to project a liquid against the outerwalls of the-respective pots 3. Pipe 9 con- In order to which in turn, is dependent upon the relative sizes of the sprocket wheels 33 and 35 and'upon the speed of the spinning pump drive shaft 36..

For example, with a spinning pump drive shaft speed of 24 R. P. M. and a ratio' between sprocket wheels 35 and 33 of 2 to 1, cam 30 will revolve 1 at the rate of 12 R. P. M. and the valve will,

stitutes one arm of a series of connected pipes-- Seated in'pipe i3 is a 'valve ll (see Fig. 2)-

therefore, open 12 times per minute for the dis- .charge'of water from the spray nozzles Ill. In the drawing the length of the arc defined by the cam projection 3| is shown as'one-tenth of the circumference of the cam. With the cam completing a revolution every 5 seconds, the

valve will be open one-tenth of the time, that out of every minute.

which includes a base l1, inlet and outlet dlict's' i8 and I9 respectively, valve seats 20, a valve' stem 2|,a spring 22 and valve'discs 23 and 24 for engaging seats '20 when the valve steni2l.

and the discs 23 and 24 which are-carried there by are biased'to the closed position. valvegli'.

is centrally apertured at its upper portion and is capped by a pack nut 25, through which valve stem 2| extends for free vertical movement; The upper portion of the valve is threaded at 26 for the reception thereover of an internally threadedhollow' cylindrical member 21.

The hollow interior of cylindrical member 2i is reduced at-its upper portion to receive a cam follower 23, which-is firmly affixed to'valve stem 2i and bifurcated at its upper portion to-prg vide a space for a. roller 23, which is'mounted for free rotation on a shaft secured on, the upstanding arms of'the follower. The upper portion of cylindrical member 21 is slotted to receive a cam 33 provided. with cam projection 3|. Cam 30 is affixed to axle 32, which is mounted for free rotation in the wallsof cylindrical mem- Thus my invention provides for the automatic intermittent spraying of the spinning pots, with the entire elimination of the necessity for supervision: Hence the consumption of water is reduced to the minimum required for inhibiting the'formation of dangerous salt deposits by the maintenance of a highdiegree ofhumidity in the spinning pot-chamber at all tinies. An alternate device that might be substituted -or the intermittent valve mechanism, consists'of a small plunger pump driven from any convenient source, this pump serving the combined 3 1 0 8, of timing the water spray and supplyingthe necessary pressure.

Having now described my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of variation and modification; and it is my desire that ,I be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed vent into the chamber against the pot for' removing any accumulation of salt which' has formed thereonand for supplying sumcient moisture within the chamber to inhibit the-formation of salt bodies for substantially imiform periods, valve means controlling the flow of salt solvent from said ,directing means, and cam.

means for actuating said valve means, said cam means beingdrivenfrom the pump actuating r'neans to thereby propel the cam at a speed directly proportional to the speed or operation of the pump actuating means for regularly efiecting the delivery of solventto the directing means to thereby supply the required moisture to cause a chamber therefor, means tor directing a spray of salt solvent into said chamber, valve means controlling the flow of salt solvent from said directing means and means actuated in'timed of solvent supply relation to the actuation of said pump to open and close the valve means at a frequency proportional to the rate oi. spinning and hence the rate of salt formation so as to supply without wastethe required solvent to cause salt removal and inhibition of salt formation between periods PETER. P. KRIEK. 

